Why is Japanese Denim So Expensive?
You might already be a consumer that has bought into the apparel investment culture. The overarching motto of “buy nice or buy twice” has seen various iterations in many brands that claim to value essentialism and minimalism above all. I’ll try to shed some light one why luxury goods come with a higher price-point by focusing on a universal staple: the denim pant.
Whether it be through purchasing a small set of monochromatic t-shirts for daily use or by limiting yourself to a set of purposeful outdoor staples; luxury minimalism promises dual benefits when it comes prolonging the life of your clothing. Garments purchased under this criterion last long because of their timeless design and high-quality construction. You won’t be purchasing replacement clothes as often because your clothes will always look good and won’t wear down quickly, which adds to the promise of long-term savings.
The same cannot be said for fast-fashion consumption. An assessment by Nature Climate Change Journal estimated that “there are 20 new garments manufactured per person each year and we are buying 60% more than we were in 2000.” This jump shows why fast fashion is an unsustainable method of consumption that contributes to an endless cycle of replacement and material waste. Cheaper garments purchased from fast-fashion retailers tend to disintegrate over a shorter periods of time and are continually replaced by the next popular trend.
For many people, the initial shift to an investment-minimalism mindset grows out of their first wardrobe-staple purchase, which is sometimes motivated by a mindset of sustainability. For me, that first buy was a pair of high-quality jeans. Specifically, a pair made with raw, selvedge denim.
Anyone still vested in the fast-fashion mindset might find it difficult to jump from Bluenotes to Pure Blue.
But is it really worth making the switch? To find out we’ll have to discern what makes raw and selvedge denim special.
What is “raw” and “selvedge” denim? Are they the same thing?
“Raw” refers to the dyeing and construction process denim fabric undergoes before it’s turned into a pair of jeans. Raw denim is not pre-washed or pre-distressed to achieve a worn-in look. Purchasers of raw denim aim to break-in their blank-slate pant with gradual wear, creating natural creases and fades that reflect their body type and everyday habits.
“Selvedge” refers to a construction process that utilizes the edge of the fabric as the garments out-seam. This process contributes to a denser weave and prevents the out-seam from fraying with wear. You can identify a pair of selvedge denim jeans by cuffing the pant. Typically, a coloured, smoothly woven out-seam is a good indicator that your jeans are selvedge.
Not all raw denim pants are selvedge, but most selvedge denim pants are made with raw denim. Some raw denim is constructed poorly. It’s important to be aware of where your jeans are made before finalizing a purchase.
Brands like APC, Acne, Naked and Famous and Nudies offer high-quality selvedge denim for a relatively low price (though understandably higher than a pair of jeans purchased at a mall). After investing a considerable amount of wear time (6 months to 2 years, or more) while adhering to delicate care standards, denim heads are rewarded with outstanding fades. But after your first, second or even third pair of intro selvedge denim jeans, you start to wonder if your fades could get even better. The innocuous search for the best pair of jeans begins, but where does it take us?
Denim Mecca
If “the best” is measured by painstaking construction and unmatched quality, a small prefecture in Japan might have the answer. Okayama prefecture houses a town with some of the most iconic denim producers in the world, like Pure Blue Japan, Momotaru Jeans, Kapital, and Big John Jeans. The town which dedicates its service to the sole production of denim is Kojima, Japan.
Kojima celebrates a love for denim and jeans that is born out of an American legacy. When denim was first popularized, American producers were spinning their cotton on heritage looms and dyeing fabrics by hand. Denim was unsanforized, meaning it wasn’t pre-washed to achieve a particular look or fit. Denim treated this way was “shrink-to-fit” and the resulting fades were spectacular.
Wearing jeans began to reflect socio-cultural shifts too. A garment that was originally associated with the working class (hence “blue-collar”) began to draw new associations with rebelliousness and individuality. The rising popularity of denim meant higher demand, and higher demand meant dips in quality for the American denim industry.
While traditional construction techniques fell to the wayside in favour of cheaper mass-manufacturing, a cultural revival was happening in Kojima. Japanese artisans retained legacy techniques and began to produce high quality selvedge denim on heritage shuttle looms; while continuing construction traditions that promised product longevity and uniqueness. Let’s look a bit deeper into the story of Momotaru, one of Kojima’s crown jewel brands.
1. Momotaro Jeans
Momotaro Jeans takes their denim construction process seriously. Each pair of Momotaro Jeans is hand-made in the Kojima region in Japan. They believe in jeans “Made by hand without compromise”, and their website states that the company is “not just a fashion brand that simply offers the latest trends” but is “a real clothing brand to be loved forever.”
It is within this declaration that we see an undying adherence to investment culture and by extension, luxury-minimalism. This mentality encompasses their strict commitment to high-quality a output, which comes from an admiration for early American standards of denim production.
The Japanese have fostered an admiration of vintage American fashion since the 1960’s when both cultures met at the Tokyo Olympics. This veneration is evidenced by the recent rise of Japanese fashion houses that celebrate classic and vintage Americana styles, like Visvim, Needles, and Kapital; the last being a Kojima favourite that has seamlessly transitioned to the world of streetwear.
2. Kapital
Kapital is possibly the most well-known Okayama contender of the bunch. The brand continues to diversify itself through its infamous experimentations with design that have continued without compromise.
From rope-dyed kimonos and patchwork workwear pieces, to cut-and-sew jackets peppered with tasteful utility pockets, Kapital has established an eclectic style that challenges the concept of what an essential denim piece can look like. Kapital has even moved to footwear, jewelry, socks, and chain accessories, making it the only Okayama child to blossom into a full-fledged streetwear label that continues to be featured by renowned international stockists.
While Kapital has branched out of the ever-growing tree of luxury brands that initially sprouted in Japan, other legacy houses have staunchly adhered to the core of denim craftsmanship, like Pure Blue Japan.
3. Pure Blue Japan
It would be a sin to speak about Kojima without talking about Pure Blue Japan. Proudly using one of the oldest denim looms in the world, Pure Blue Japan sells their jeans at the highest premium, and for good reason. Named after the colour that gives denim its deep indigo hue, Pure Blue has been a heavy contender in Kojima since 1997. They differentiate themselves from the pack through their yarn dyeing process that happens even before their denim is woven into its final silhouette.
Pure Blue uses machines specifically made for their company to produce some of the most unique jeans in the world. Every aspect of the production process is highly controlled, from yarn shape, to the use of multiple indigo shades that create a unique texture and hand-feel on all of their jeans. They refer to their textured denim as “slubby;” as its construction involves combining lighter, medium, and deep indigo threads to produce fabric with distinct colour variations.
Pure Blue Japan also considers what a pair of jeans might look like after years of wear, by testing their pants over long periods of time to ensure that denim heads are satisfied with the brand’s final output. Here’s a link to a section of their website dedicated to showing the aging process of various denim pieces they produce.
4. Big John
Finally, I thought I’d mention Kojima’s first denim house, which boasts an affordable price point and commitment to balancing “tradition” with “innovation.” Big John is a pioneer of Japanese denim; a company that has been making quality indigo selvedge since 1965.
Big John takes pride in its heritage legacy, with jeans being fully designed, constructed and made with Japanese materials; a tradition that has continued since the end of WWII when its founder Kotaru Ozaki opened a sewing company under the name “Maruo Clothing” to create and repair uniforms. Big John still offers many of its legacy styles under the “M” label in its original stylized fabric.
The Denim Road is Long and Winding. Minimalism is an After-Effect.
Whether you start off with a cheaper pair of selvedge jeans or decide to make a huge jump into the world of Kojima denim you can’t really go wrong. The most difficult decision might be to look in your closet and come to terms with having one or two pairs of jeans. Just be careful though.
After the trauma of the first one, closet cleans become addictive. The ever-lingering question of “do I need this?” will start to bleed in your brain while you take measures to prevent your pants from doing the same. You might find yourself regularly giving things away, selling underused pieces or counting your savings while you (slowly) build a wardrobe of high-quality essentials...
Take it from the guy who works with clothing but only has sub 30 things in his closet. The switch is worth it.
